Jump

About two weeks ago, Michelle and I went to Crater Lake in south central Oregon for some R&R. The  water was bluer than any I have ever seen (bluer than Hawaii) and in many ways very magical, and also  very cold. The picture on the left is one that I took of a man who decided to jump in. What’s interesting is  that he was very hesitant before going in and after doing it, said that he’s not the kind of person to do  something like this. What convinced him to finally jump in?

July was a strange and bittersweet month as it seemed some of life’s biggest events were ever more present. There were loved ones that passed and strange diagnosis of health issues. There were announcements of pregnancies and friends sharing that they were about to become engaged. As Michelle and I have been in transition and trying to plan our future, we realized how important and also extremely hard living in the present is. We can plan all we want, but our lives can change in an instant and things will never be the same.

It got me thinking of this man jumping in, how I remember being scared of marriage and what that would mean to risk unavoidable lost and potential hurt, all for joy and love. It brings back many memories of things that I’ve always wanted to do, but instead of doing them, I’ve let fear and excuses hold me back, convincing me otherwise. It seems that there are many things in life that involve risk. Raising a child, getting married, traveling and serving in another country, simply loving others, and i’ve seen people commit to these things, knowing, and not knowing what they are getting themselves into, but never regretting their decision for the amazing blessings that these experiences have brought.

So my questions today are simple:

What is it that you want to do with your life?

What are things that you’ve always wanted to do but fear has held you back?

When are you going to jump?